Story 6 What a day
by Round Robin
Summary: A round robin story, set post Boom, where nothing is as it seems and almost nothing goes as planned...


**One more Round Robin story, composed for you by the amazing writers on a twitter project, some of you might have already seen. This time things got a little out of hand on so many levels...(Again, the full, updated list as well as the link to the original twitter thread can be found in the profile). Thanks to everyone for joining in, both writers and readers. Specialgratitude goes to Lord of Kavaka for saving the day. Until next time! XO.**

Castle steps out of observation, shaken. Has he really just heard what he thinks he heard? He glances up, just in time to see Beckett emerge from interrogation, brows furrowed as she spots him.

Her eyes radiate concern as she asks, "Castle? What's the matter?"

"I-" he stops, gathering his thoughts. "Aren't you worried about what she said? How she knew all that? But especially how she knew that about you?"

"It's not like most of it's a secret, Castle," she pauses, studying him. "But you're really worried, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." He's spending too much of his nights trying to talk himself out of going upstairs to make sure Kate is safe in his guest room.

"Castle," she says softly, puts a hand on his arm. "She's not going to blow up my apartment."

"Yeah, because you haven't found one yet."

Beckett rolls her eyes. "I meant, because she's going to prison. But since you mention it..." Her glare sharpens. "Don't think I haven't noticed you trying to sabotage my apartment hunt."

Castle gulps. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She doesn't believe his denial for a second, but there's no time to argue about it when there's something far more important to figure out.

"Okay, set aside your concern for a minute and focus on what else she said in there. The part that _wasn't_ about me."

"I..." he hesitates. He wasn't really listening to that part, too caught up in the woman's recitations of Kate's recent whereabouts, her NYPD stats, even details related to her mother's murder. Sure, he knew these things too, but only because it's part of his job.

"But Beckett, this is important." His voice drops to a forced whisper. "You have a stalker."

"So? I've had one before, and so far he's turned out to be mostly harmless." She quips, pegging him with a stare.

"Ha ha. Fine, I'll drop it." But he's not letting her out of his sight.

"I need you to focus, Castle. She had an accomplice. You must have heard her slip up and say 'we' when she confessed to murdering our victim." Kate stops in front of the murder board, draws an arrow and a question mark. "This case is not closed."

"Who do you think it is?" Castle asks, working to shake off his concern. They sit down on the edge of her desk.

"We've already confirmed she doesn't have living family, and all of her co-workers were distant at best."

"Maybe it was her milkman."

"Castle."

"It's a valid theory!" he defends.

She glares at him. "How many times have I heard you say that?"

"In those specific words? Never."

"Are you going to be of _any_ help today or am I relegated only to sass and misguided concern?"

"My concern is _not_ misguided - "

"Yes, it is, because the accomplice is _not_ the milkman and nothing is going to happen to me," she insists, pushing off the desk's edge and striding towards the break room.

"Not while you're under my roof anyway," he murmurs under his breath, trotting along after her.

"What are you doing?" she asks, as Castle shoves in front of her to reach the coffee machine first.

"Checking the coffee machine before you use it. In fact, you're not using it."

"What?! If you deny me coffee you better be ready to face the consequences."

"But it could be booby-trapped. Rigged to blow at a touch."

"And how will you blown-up improve that?"

Just as he opens his mouth, about to utter another argument, espresso machine explodes in a shower of steam.

 _Two hours later_

Beckett tries not to react as Castle emerges from treatment room at the local Urgent Care. She hadn't known it was possible to scald your eyebrows off.

"It doesn't look that bad," she lies. Castle waves her concern away.

"We've got bigger problems. The espresso machine was boobie trapped, in our break room, under our noses! You know what this means?" Castle drops his voice to a hiss and leans in, his eyebrowless face inches from hers. "The stalker works at the precinct!"

"Castle -"

"You could have been hurt," he says.

She places a soft hand on his uninjured arm. "You _were_ hurt. I - I don't like it."

They stare wordlessly at each other, and then, "Come on, let's go home."

"Kate -"

She turns.

"Don't leave. The loft." He swallows,"Please."

All air leaves her lungs at the naked need in his eyes. "What?"

"Stay with me."

"Castle, I can't just- stay."

He steps closer. "Why not?"

"We're... we're not even dating."

He wraps an arm around her waist, tugs her against him. Strong, decisive. "Maybe it's time we change that."

She's not sure if the soft gasp that tumbles past her lips is due to his bold declaration or the sensation of his body pressed tightly to hers, but now he is staring at her mouth and his eyes are a shade darker and she is honestly questioning the wisdom of _not_ kissing him right now.

Her hands move on their own, pressing against his chest, taking care to avoid his injured arm.

She shouldn't kiss him.

But God, she wants to.

Her head drifts closer to his, almost in slow motion. But as her lips part, the sound of a gunshot has her jumping back.

Her ears ring from the sound of the gun shot and she curses Castle when he steps forward to shield her. _She_ is supposed to be the one protecting him and he has already taken the blow once for her today.

"Beckett, Castle get back!" she hears Montgomery call from behind them.

She doesn't have time to wonder why Montgomery followed them, nor to worry about him witnessing the scene; her instincts kicking in as she grabs Castle by the sleeve and drags him into an alley nearby, giving her captain a nod before disappearing behind the wall.

Her fingers wrap around and twist his ear, drawing a very plaintive gasp out of her partner.

"Will you stop doing that?" She scolds, her thundering heart throbbing so wildly that a wave of nausea washes over her even as her fingers loosen their hold to stroke the abused skin.

"Relax, Beckett," he chuckles.

"It was just a balloon popping. I'm pretty sure Captain and the boys are planning some kind of April Fool's joke over there."

"Your birthday," Kate gasps. "I don't have anything for you."

"Sure you do," he whispers, lowering his head toward her again.

Alarm bells go off in her head, alerting her to the many reasons they shouldn't do this—not right now, not here, not when Montgomery or the boys could return at any moment—but the sounds morph into something like fireworks the second his lips slant over her own.

All thoughts of objecting vanish as their lips touch, the spark they've had coming to an explosion. The kiss is fierce, both putting as much passion into it as they can, they force of it making her back hit the wall. As their lips part, a breathy chuckle escapes her.

"Castle, how can it be my gift to you if you kiss me fi-"

"Hey guys, uh-..." Ryan bustled past, a questioning look on his face. "Oh, am I interrupting something..." Beckett rolled her eyes at the grin spreading over his features.

"Yes." - "No."

"Uh huh," Ryan smirks, but as Castle and Beckett range themselves on either side of him, his smile drops... and since when is Castle as scary as Beckett?

"You do realize we're in the middle of an active case?"

"...and that gunshot pranks are really off color considering what happened to Beckett's apartment?"

"W-well, you see..." Ryan begins, but then a bullet ricochets off the wall next to Beckett's head. The three of them duck behind the nearby dumpster.

"That wasn't a balloon."

"Ya think, Castle?" Beckett asks sardonically as they remain crouched behind the dumpster, bullets whizzing through the air. "I'll pardon your tone if you let me buy you dinner whenever we're done being shot at for the 470th time." "Wow, you really take _every_ opportunity."

All three duck for cover on the floor, with more bullets ricocheting above them. "Are you guys okay?" they hear Esposito shout from around the corner.

"Yes!" Castle and Ryan shout back in unison.

"Beckett, Kate! Are you alright?" Rick asks, while trying to turn her face. "There is blood!"

"Beckett's been shot!" Ryan calls in panic. Castle finds the wound, it's superficial. Kate moans.

"Hey Kate," Castle says. "I think you're right, Castle," Kate groans.

"The partner works in the precinct." She glares at him the best she can. "Don't gloat."

Kate shakes her hair - and the blood - off her face.

"Head wounds always bleed like a bitch," she mutters, drawing her sidearm and scanning the alley. "I'm fine, guys. Where's it coming from?"

"There's a cut on your - " "The gunfire, Castle, not my injury!"

"Wait a minute - that's not blood." Ryan squints at the substance dripping from Kate's head.

"It's red paint." Castle has just brushed a fingertip over the liquid to verify when Ryan suddenly springs out of their hiding place, standing and waving his arms.

Castle can see the frown on Ryan's face morph into something darker as Espo finally walks around the corner. "So not funny, bro!" But you should have seen your face, it was –

"Blam! Another shard breaks off the alley wall, and Ryan, who ducked at the shot, hears a window smash.

All is silence for a heartbeat, then the partners look up to see Montgomery walking into the alley, with what looks very much like satisfaction on his face. Beckett gasps, as realization dawns, and her eyes flick to Castle, gauging his reaction.

"You jackass," she shoves at him.

Glowering, she points an accusing finger at them.

"You all planned this."

"Group effort," Castle squeaks out, rubbing his chest.

Then glares at the boys. "Not all went according to plan.", obviously referring to the espresso machine and his seared eyebrows.

"But why?" she asks.

Castle sighs, surrendering. "With what we knew about our suspect, I needed to convince you to stay at the loft."

"And we volunteered to help," the boys chime in.

"As did I," Montgomery nods.

Beckett shakes her head and looks at Castle.

"You're a jackass, you know that?" she says with a huff, but a glint in her eye that speaks of more. Castle shrugs, a grin working its way onto his lips.

"Yeah, but I'm your jackass," he says.

Beckett stares back at him, meeting his eyes.

And smiles.

"Yeah, you are."

THE END


End file.
